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Circular of Information Relative 

to the Certificate Laws 

of Oregon 




ISSUED BY 

J. A. CHURCHILL 

SUPERINTENDENT OF PUBLIC INSTRUCTION 



Salem, Oregon : 

State Printing Department 

1919 



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fib 21 



Of P. 



19/9 



THE CERTIFICATE LAWS OF OREGON 

(Published by authority of Subdivision 6, Section 3946, L. O. L.) 

Inasmuch as an attempt is being - made to change the certifi- 
cate laws of Oregon, so that graduates of colleges will be 
authorized to teach in the elementary schools without having 
had special training for such work, and also to require the 
University of Oregon and Oregon Agricultural College to train 
teachers for elementary work, this circular is issued to give to 
members of the legislature and to school officers, definite 
information on this subject. 

In November, 1910, the United States Bureau of Education 
called a conference of college presidents, normal school presi- 
dents and state school superintendents to consider the matter 
of adopting some uniform standards for teachers' certificates. 
A body of resolutions defining such standards were adopted. 
The Oregon legislature met the following January (1911), and 
enacted a certificate law based upon these resolutions. The 
bill was most carefully considered by the committees on educa- 
tion from the Senate and the House, which met in joint session 
and summoned before them the college presidents and other 
leading educators of Oregon. 

The law is based upon the principle that a teacher should 
receive preparation for the work she wishes to do. Those who 
complete a standard normal school are granted certificates to 
teach in the elementary schools. Those who complete a course 
in a standard university or college, including fifteen semester 
hours in the Department of Education, are granted certificates 
to teach in the high schools only. Those who wish to teach 
special subjects, such as manual training or domestic science, 
must be prepared in standard schools offering such courses, 
and the examination method is offered to all who are unable 
to complete their college courses. 

The colleges and universities of highest rank throughout the 
United States have departments of education. With very few 
exceptions, as will be seen by the letters quoted below, these 
departments of education train students for teaching in high 
school or for administrative work, leaving the work of training 
for teaching in the elementary grades entirely to the normal 
schools. As pointed out in the letter of Dr. A. A. Cleveland, 
head of the department of education of the State College of 
Washington, practically all of the state universities follow 
this plan, excepting those of two states which do not yet have 
their systems of education fully developed. 

In December, 1918, we sent to the leading universities and 
colleges the following questionnaire : 

1. Is your department of education devoted exclusively to 
the training of those who are preparing to be high school 
teachers ? 

2. If not, what other training is offered? 

[3] 



3. Do you have a normal department which trains for ele- 
mentary work? 

4. If so, do you offer practice teaching in all of the eight 
elementary grades? 

5. Kindly state whether, in your opinion, the colleges and 
universities should conduct a normal department, preparing 
teachers for the elementary grades, with reasons for your 
views on the subject. 

At this time 122 replies have been received. Of these, 110 
do not have normal departments, nor do they offer to train 
teachers for the elementary schools. Six do offer such train- 
ing; four offer courses in pedagogy, but do not have practice 
teaching; and one trains for rural work. 

In a circular addressed to the members of the legislature, 
the statement is made that "All over the country, everywhere, 
the state universities and colleges are educating grade teach- 
ers, while not a dozen normal schools have been built in the 
last twenty years." 

The latest published report of the United States Commis- 
sion of Education, page 446, Vol. II, 1917, shows that during 
the twenty-five-year period closing 1916, the number of public 
normal schools throughout the United States increased from 
131 to 234, or an increase of 79 per cent. The number 
of students attending normal schools increased from 31,792 to 
104,714, an increase of 221 per cent. The number of normal 
graduates increased from 5,060 to 23,437, an increase of 365 
per cent. As to that part of the statement alleging that the 
state universities and colleges are educating grade teachers, 
the letters published below show that the leading colleges and 
universities throughout the United States are unalterably 
opposed to this idea. 

JOHNS HOPKINS UNIVERSITY, BALTIMORE, MARYLAND 

We do not believe that the higher institutions should conduct normal 
departments preparing teachers for the elementary grades. We have one 
member of our faculty ranking as 'Associate in Education,' whose special 
field is elementary education. The work which is done at the University, 
however, presupposes the normal school training, as well as some experi- 
ence in teaching. 

In our opinion, your certificate law is educationally sound and in line 
with the best known practice, and it would be a great misfortune to 
break down your standards in the reconstruction which is under way. 
Our states should do everything possible to maintain the requirement of 
specialized training in the two fields of instruction. 

(Signed) EDWARD F. BUCHNER, 
Director, College Courses for Teachers. 

UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN 
I think you were quite right in your differentiation between the prep- 
aration of high school teachers and the preparation of elementary teach- 
ers, and that it will be an unfortunate day for education when that 
differentiation is broken down. As stated in the questionnah*e, we do 
believe that every university should have a training school, and that this 

[4] 



training school should have an elementary department for the training 
of superintendents, supervisors, principals of county normal schools, etc., 
but in no sense for the preparation of grade teachers. In other words, 
the leaders should be prepared by the universities. 

In stating this, I desire to call attention to the fact that the great 
mass of our supervisors and county normal principals, and a good per- 
centage of our superintendents are graduates of normal schools before 
they come to us, and that we simply conduct the more scientific lines of 
preparation. 

(Signed) A. S. WHITNEY, 

Department of Education. 

WILLIAMS COLLEGE, MASSACHUSETTS 
It does not seem to be the proper function of colleges and universities 
to conduct normal departments to prepare teachers for the elementary 
grades. This can be much better done by normal schools, which are 
founded and equipped for that end. 

(Signed) HENRY D. WILD, 

Chairman of Faculty. 

UNIVERSITY OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK 
College graduates are not legally qualified to contract to teach in 
the elementary schools of cities or villages in this State. College gradu- 
ates who complete an approved course in education, copy of which is 
enclosed herewith, are certified to teach in the high schools only. 

You are rendering a service to the schools of your State in opposing 
the effort now being made to require you to certify college graduates for 
teaching in the elementary grades. College graduates should not be per- 
mitted to teach in the grades until they have had the required amount of 
professional training for that work. 

(Signed) THOMAS E. FINEGAN, 
Deputy Commissioner of Education and Assistant Commissioner for 
Elementary Education. 

UNIVERSITY OF OREGON, EUGENE 

I do not think that the colleges and universities should conduct a 
normal department preparing teachers for the elementary grades, 
as this work is best done in well organized normal schools. The experi- 
ence of the other states and of the European countries has shown 
that the preparation of teachers for the elementary grades is a work 
peculiar to itself, which calls for high specialization and for intensive 
interest. The well established practice of the country is to limit the 
training of elementary teachers to the normal schools. There are a few 
exceptions to this rule, but the universities which do maintain large train- 
ing departments for elementary teachers have as a rule very large endow- 
ments, and can afford to maintain their training schools on a very liberal 
basis. They are in effect separate schools, although situated on or near 
the university campus. 

(Signed) P. L. CAMPBELL, 
President University of Oregon. 

WHITMAN COLLEGE, WASHINGTON 
The colleges and universities should not conduct a normal department 
because — 

1. That is the province of normal schools. 

2. Special (normal) schools will do it better. 

3. It is a waste of money and effort. 

4. It would lower the tone of the universities. 

5. It makes the colleges and universities rivals of the normal schools — 
a dangerous feature. 

I thoroughly believe in the Oregon certificate law. 

(Signed) STEPHEN B. L. PENROSE, 

President. 
[5] 



OREGON AGRICULTURAL COLLEGE 
My position upon the question of training teachers has not changed 
since the last session of the Legislature. Instead of appropriating money 
to the higher institutions for elementary work, it is my judgment that the 
better plan would be for the state to provide adequate facilities for the 
training of elementary school teachers in the normal schools. 

(Signed) W. J. KERR, 

President. 

WILLAMETTE UNIVERSITY, OREGON 

I do not think that a college or university should conduct a normal 

department preparing teachers for the elementary grades. To do so 

would divide the purpose and resources of the college, would probably 

lower college standards and introduce elements of confusion and weakness. 

(Signed) CARL G. DONEY, 

President. 

HARVARD UNIVERSITY, MASSACHUSETTS 
The colleges and universitites should not, in our opinion, conduct 
normal departments for the preparation of teachers for the elementary 
grades. This work is already being well done by normal schools. Teach- 
ers of the elementary grades need not be college graduates, and the study 
of education in colleges and universities should be chiefly graduate worjk. 

(Signed) HENRY W. HOLMES, 

Chairman Division of Education. 

UNIVERSITY OF VERMONT 
College students so rarely desire work in the elementary schools that 
it seems to me undesirable to offer courses for elementary teachers, 
except in institutions maintaining an independent teachers' college in 
which the normal school type of work is done. 

I understand that your present certificate law provides that certifi- 
cates be granted for high schools to those college graduates who have 
had the teacher training course, and that you grant elementary certifi- 
cates to graduates of normal schools. It seems to me that that is 
exactly as it should be. 

(Signed) J. F. MESSENGER, 

Professor of Education. 

STATE AGRICULTURAL COLLEGE, FORT COLLINS, COLORADO 
It seems to me that your state certification law is a very good one, 
and I earnestly trust that Oregon will not lower her educational and 
training standard for teachers. Our experience in Colorado convinces me 
that elementary teachers can best be trained in our normal schools; that 
this field can not be successfully worked by our colleges and universities. 
On the other hand, I am equally convinced that secondary school teachers 
can best be trained in colleges and universities, but that these require, 
in order to get satisfactory results, a training school for student teachers. 
Our experience in teaching has not been satisfactory. 

(Signed) CHARLES A. LORY, 

President. 

DE PAUW UNIVERIS'TY, INDIANA 
Your law, in my judgment, is a good one. Any lowering of the stan- 
dard for teachers' certificates will inevitably be detrimental to the work 
of the elementary and secondary schools. 

(Signed) GEORGE R. GROSE, 

President. 

[6] 



UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA 
The college of education of the University of Minnesota, in conference 
with normal school presidents and other state educators, has repeatedly 
gone on record as believing that the universities should confine them- 
selves largely to the preparation of superintendents, high school teachers 
and educational specialists. We do not contemplate preparing teachers 
for the elementary grades. 

(Signed) P. M. SWIFT, 
Executive Secretary of the College of Education. 

STATE COLLEGE OF WASHINGTON, PULLMAN 
We feel that your standard is a fair one, and not too high nor too 
exacting to meet the needs of your schools. Our state law is very similar 
to yours, with the exception I believe that we require twelve hours of 
education for a certificate to teach in a secondary school. This certifi- 
cate, however, is not valid in an elementary school. In other words, we 
recognize two distinct types of training, the one for elementary school 
teachers, and the other for secondary school teachers. 

(Signed) A. A. CLEVELAND, 

Dean School of Education. 

UNIVERSITY OF DENVER 

During my term of service as Governor of Colorado, I sent out a 
questionnaire in which I asked the opinion of all the superintendents 
of schools and all of the high school principals in the state on the subject 
of a proper training for high school teachers and a proper training for 
grade teachers. All the superintendents and all the principals (excepting 
two) made answer that the colleges should tram teachers for high school 
service and the normal schools should train teachers for service in the 
grade schools. 

It would be a calamity if so progressive a state as Oregon should 
cease to recognize that the college is the proper place to train teachers 
for high school and normal school the proper place to train teachers 
for grade service. 

(Signed) HENRY A. BUCHTEL, 

Chancellor. 

UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN 
Training for the elementary grades involves work of such a different 
kind from that given in universities that it can not profitably be combined 
with university study. 

(Signed) E. A. BIRGE. 

UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA, LOS ANGELES 
The colleges and universities should not conduct a normal department 
preparing teachers for the elementary grades. They can not do it without 
a great risk of lowering the college standards. This is a field that prop- 
erly belongs to the normal schools. The standards for high school teach- 
ers' certificates should remain high. We require one year of graduate 
work for the certificate. 

(Signed) GEORGE F. BOVARD, 

President. 

POMONA COLLEGE, CALIFORNIA 
In my opinion the preparation for teachers for the elementary grades 
should be left to the normal schools. 

(Signed) M. E. CHURCHILL, 

Secretary of Faculty. 

[7] 



OLIVET COLLEGE, MICHIGAN 
You grant to graduates of universities or colleges certificates to teach 
in high school and to graduates of normal schools certificates to teach in 
the elementary schools. I think this is as it should be. I should be 
heartily opposed to the passing of any law which would obligate the 
department of education to grant certificates regardless of special 
training. 

(Signed) THEODORE H. WILSON, 

President. 

MIAMI UNIVERSITY, OHIO 

Miami University is one of the oldest colleges in the state supported 
by the state. The normal school and the teachers' college were added 
here within the last twenty years. However, they are entirely distinct 
parts of the institution and are adequately financed and are manned with 
a staff of teachers especially selected to do this particular work. 

I do not believe it is feasible for an ordinary college to train elemen- 
tary and high school teachers unless they have a practice school and 
unless they have a fully adequate force. Where an adequate amount of 
money is spent to do this work right, I see no objection. However, I 
would call attention to the fact that these two courses are the most 
expensive courses we offer here at Miami, and we maintain an excellent 
liberal arts college here. 

(Signed) R. M. HUGHES, 

President. 

RENESSELAER POLYTECHNIC INSTITUTE, NEW YORK 

Believe your present method to be the correct one. 

P. C. RICKETTS, 

President. 

OKLAHOMA AGRICULTURAL AND MECHANICAL COLLEGE 

I do not think colleges should train teachers for elementary schools. 
Leave that for the normal schools. 

J. W. CANTWELL, 

President. 

NEW HAMPSHIRE COLLEGE, NEW HAMPSHIRE 

In my judgment where normal schools are established colleges and 
universities should not conduct a normal department preparing teachers 
for the elementary grades. Such a procedure would, it seems to me, 
involve unnecessary duplication of work and to a certain extent duplica- 
tion of equipment and supplies. Furthermore, it would create jealousy 
and conflict which in the long run would prove exceedingly wasteful. 
If the normal schools are giving exclusive attention to the elementary 
problem they are going to be in better position to prosecute their work 
effectively. The same thing applies to colleges and universities having 
jurisdiction over the training of teachers for high school work. 

(Signed) R. D. HETZEL, 

President. 

OHIO STATE UNIVERSITY, OHIO 

We think the colleges and universities should not conduct a normal 
department preparing teachers for the elementary grades. We prefer 
that this work be done in the state and county normal schools. 

(Signed) W. D. THOMPSON, 

President. 

[S] 



OHIO WESLEYAN UNIVERSITY, OHIO 

It is primarily a matter of cost and facilities — the collges have facili- 
ties better adapted to train high school teachers than elementary teachers. 
Do not now force them to make the work any more superficial than it is 
in many cases now, by compelling them to add the training of elementary 
teachers. 

Institutions that undertake both types of work will need additional 
buildings, additional training school facilities, additional specialists to 
do differentiated types of work, all of which means a great increase in 
expenditure. 

(Signed) A. R. MEAD, 
Department of Education. 

UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA 
I do not think that the colleges and universities should conduct a 
normal department, preparing teachers for the elementary grades. This 
business belongs to the normal schools. On the other hand, the normal 
schools should keep out of high school training. 

(Signed) F. D. GRAVES, 

Dean. 

BROWN UNIVERSITY, RHODE ISLAND 
At Brown our courses in our school of education are designed pri- 
marily for the education of high school and secondary school teachers. 
We have a tacit agreement with the state normal school in this city, that 
its courses shall be designed for teachers in the elementary grades, while 
our courses at the university shall be designed for those who intend to 
teach in secondary schools and colleges. By thus dividing the field we 
avoid conflict. Thus the field everywhere should be divided, in my opinion 

(Signed) W. H. P. FAUNCE, 

President. 

UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH DAKOTA 
In my opinion, colleges and universities should not aim to prepare 
teachers for the elementary grades, as such work belongs distinctly to 
the normal schools. I should like to see the present Oregon system 
adopted in South Dakota. 

(Signed) ROBERT C. SLAGLE, 

President. 

WESTERN MARYLAND COLLEGE 
I do not think the colleges and universities should conduct a normal 
department preparing teachers for the elementary grades. College and 
university graduates will not teach in elementary schools. Competent 
high school teachers are always in demand and the comparatively few 
who take courses in education in college will all be needed for high school 
work. (Signed) T. H. LEWIS, 

President. 

ST. JOHNS COLLEGE, MARYLAND 
It seems to me the preparation of elementary teachers more properly 
belongs to normal schools. The colleges, as they give more advanced 
subject matter, should confine themselves to the preparation of high 
school teachers. 

(Signed) SIDNEY S. HANDY, 

Department of Education. 

[9] 



TRINITY UNIVERSITY, TEXAS 
I do not deem it advisable for colleges to undertake a normal depart- 
ment for the preparation of teachers for the elementary grades. I am 
of the opinion that it is far better for the normal schools to do that work 
and at the same time have training departments with practice teaching. 
I do not believe that the colleges should undertake such work. In my 
opinion it would lower the standard of the academic school doing it. 

(Signed) S. L. HORNBEACK, 

President. 



BOSTON UNIVERSITY, MASSACHUSETTS 
I see no need of the colleges and universities conducting a normal 
department preparing teachers for the elementary grades, if state normal 
schools are adequately doing it; and even if the latter were not, it would 
be better to improve their work than to give it over to the colleges. The 
colleges are not now doing their part of the work in preparing secondary 
teachers so well that they can afford the time or expense of preparing 
elementary teachers. Leave this to the noi*mal schools. 

The field of education has suffered by lack of proper division of work, 
with consequent loss of time, money and of cooperation along sensible 
lines. 

(Signed) ARTHUR H. WILDE, 
Head of the Department of Education. 



KANSAS STATE AGRICULTURAL COLLEGE 
In my judgment no college or university in a state which maintains 
a normal school or normal schools should conduct a normal department. 
Such combination results in a variety of aims which interferes with 
the effective work of any of the departments. As a graduate of both 
normal school and college and as one who has taught in both normal 
schools and a college, I feel quite sure that the primary purpose of the 
college, so far as training teachers is concerned, should be to fit teachers 
for high school work; and that the college should not attempt to train 
elementary school teachers. 

(Signed) H. L. KENT, 
Acting Head of the Department of Education. 



COLLEGE OF ST. TERESA, MINNESOTA 
We feel that it is the specific business of the normal schools to train 
teachers for the grades. Also that it is the sole province of the colleges 
to train for high school teaching. If this arrangement were adhered 
to, we would have less overlapping than at present in both colleges and 
normal schools and we would have persons trained for the high school 
with the inspiration and upward reach that can not come from the person 
brought up solely on the normal school program. 

(Signed) MARY A. MALLOY, 

Dean. 



PURDUE UNIVERSITY, INDIANA 
There is an abundant field for the training of teachers of high school 
grade and this the colleges can do better than the normal schools. I 
believe they should confine themselves to this field. 

(Signed) W. E. STONE, 

President. 

[10] 



ST. OLAF COLLEGE, MINNESOTA 
I do not think colleges should attempt to prepare teachers for the 
elementary schools. Efficiency can be attained only by specialization 
and the methods and subjects of secondary schools are so different from 
those of the elementary schools that a specialized training should be given 
for each. If a college attempts to prepare teachers for elementary schools 
it must compete with the normal schools, which are equipped for doing 
this work, and efficiency demands that duplication of efforts shall as far 
as possible be avoided. Minnesota has wisely, so it seems to me, adopted 
the plan of requiring teachers in the grades to be normal graduates and 
teachers in high schools to be college graduates. 

(Signed) JULIUS BORAAS, 

Department of Education. 

GEORGE WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY, WASHINGTON, D. C. 
In view of the excellent normal schools the country over, there is no 
reason why the colleges should invade this field. 

(Signed) W. C. RUEDIGER, 

Dean Teachers' College. 

DENISON UNIVERSITY, OHIO 
In my judgment the colleges and universities should conduct strong 
departments of education for the training of high school teachers, leaving 
to the normal schools the task of training teachers for elementary schools. 
A high school teacher should not only be trained in the technique of teach- 
ing, but should have a broad and special training which can be obtained 
best at some strong college or university which possesses the equipment 
and experience for the proper conduct of higher education. 

(Signed) C. W, CHAMBERLAIN, 

President. 

LAWRENCE COLLEGE, WISCONSIN 
I regard this, the training of elementary teachers, as the province 
of the normal school and not of the college. Few, if any, colleges have the 
practice school necessary to prepare elementary teachers, or can afford 
to employ teachers especially qualified in this work in addition to their 
regular college faculties. 

(Signed) S. PLANTZ, 

President. 

ALFRED UNIVERSITY, NEW YORK 
Alfred University is of the opinion that colleges and universities 
should confine their professional work in education to preparing teachers 
for high school work and in this way maintain a clear distinction between 
the work of normal schools, which should be limited to the training of 
teachers of elementary grades. 

(Signed) BOOTHE C. DAVIS, 

President. 

RUTGERS COLLEGE AND STATE UNIVERSITY OF NEW 

JERSEY 
In my judgment the colleges and universities should not enter upon the 
training of elementary teachers. This duplicates the work of the normal 
school and the only work which ought to be undertaken by the college 
and university in education is research work dealing with elementary 
school subjects and possibly the training of elementary supervisors. 

(Signed) CHARLES H. ELLIOTT, 

Professor of Education. 

[11] 



ELMIRA COLLEGE, NEW YORK 

I do not think that the colleges and universities should conduct a nor- 
mal department preparing: teachers for the elementary grades, because 
the normal schools now specialize in preparation of teachers for elemen- 
tary grades. The work is not similar and can best be done in the normal 
schools. The colleges should not duplicate work done effectively else- 
where. They are prepared to train for high school teaching and the 
normal schools are not; the normal schools are prepared to train for 
elementary teaching and the colleges are not. 

(Signed) M. A. HARRIS, 

Dean. 

UNIVERSITY OF MAINE 
I do not believe it is the function of a university to train teachers for 
the elementary grades. It seems to me that that work belongs to the 
normal school. 

(Signed) ROBERT J. ALEY, 

President. 

DARTMOUTH COLLEGE, MASSACHUSETTS 
I do not think that the colleges and universities should conduct a nor- 
mal department, preparing teachers for the elementary grades. This 
is properly work for specialized normal schools. 

(Signed) ERNEST M. HOPKINS. 

President. 

MONTANA STATE COLLEGE 
I believe that the state normal schools should train teachers on the 
eight grades. This is the plan in Montana. The training of teachers 
for the grades is a special work which requires facilities for practice 
teaching and is best carried on in schools of 300 to 500 students. 

(Signed) J. S. HAMILTON, 

President. 

KALAMAZOO COLLEGE, MICHIGAN 
I believe that colleges and universities should devote their energies 
to the training of high school teachers because they (colleges and univer- 
sities) are prepared for the extensive and intensive training needed for 
the best grade of high school work. Let the normal train the elementary 
teachers. The two do not go well together. 

(Signed) H. L. STETSON. 

President. 

UNIVERSITY OF MISSOURI 
I am strong-ly in favor of having teacher certificates specify the types 
of school and phases of subject matter which the holder is authorized to 
teach, but in the State of Missouri the law makes no provision for this 
differentiation. 

(Signed) A. ROSS HILL, 

CARLETON COLLEGE, MINNESOTA 
At Carleton we have confined the work of our department of education 
to the training of high school teachers, and I am persuaded that this is the 
wise policy for colleges of our type to pursue. On the other hand, I feel 
equally clear that the best results are obtained when normal schools 
confine their efforts to the training of elementary school teachers. 

(Signed) DONALD J. COWLING, 

President. 
[12] 



MISSOURI VALLEY COLLEGE 
The colleges and universities should confine themselves to the high 
school work. The elementary training is a normal school function. This 
is the distinctive sphere of the normal. 

(Signed) WM. H. BLACK, 

President. 

URSINUS COLLEGE, PENNSYLVANIA 
In states like Pennsylvania, which have extensive systems of normal 
schools for the training of elementary teachers, I think the colleges and 
universities should devote themselves to the training of secondary teachers 
and administration officers. 

(Signed) GEORGE LESLIE OMWAKE, 

President and Professor of Education. 

WILSON COLLEGE, PENNSYLVANIA 
The colleges and universities should not conduct a normal department 
preparing teachers for the elementary grades. The state normal schools 
very generally do this work and could do it better if they more thoroughly 
specialized not trying to train high school teachers from material which 
has not had a high school course. 

(Signed) E. D. WARFIELD, 

President. 

MOUNT UNION COLLEGE, OHIO 
What we are doing here experesses our views upon this subject; that 
is that we confine our work in the department of education in Mount Union 
College to the preparation of high school teachers. We believe, by giv- 
ing emphasis to this particular line of work we are doing a greater service 
to the public schools than if we should scatter our energies over a wider 
range of training. We prefer to leave the training of elementary teachers 
to the strictly state normal schools. 

(Signed) J. B. BOWMAN. 

RIPON COLLEGE, RIPON, WISCONSIN 
In my opinion, the colleges and universities should not conduct a nor- 
may department, preparing teachers for the elementary grades. This is 
distinctively the work of the normal schools. The college and university 
departments should prepare students as teachers in the high schools. 

(Signed) W. H. BARBER, 

Dean. 

MIDDLEBURY COLLEGE, VERMONT 
It has been understood in Vermont, in common with many Eastern 
States, that the training secured in State normal schools was sufficient 
only to qualify teachers for appointments in elementary school positions, 
while appointments to secondary school positions have been made almost 
universally from graduates of colleges, and it is universally conceded that 
not only should teachers in secondary schools be graduates of colleges, 
but should have had in college some special training in pedagogy prepara- 
tory to their professional career. I think it would be indeed unfortunate 
if a state should depart from principles which are so generally accepted 
and which are based on such obviously distinct needs. 

(Signed) EDWARD D. COLLINS, 

Acting President. 

UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS 
I can speak only for the State of Illinois. The number of teachers who 
are needed for the high school is so large that if this university devotes 
its full attention to the training of high school teachers, it can not hope 
to create an oversupply. 

[13] 



ILLINOIS COLLEGE 

I believe it would be a mistake for the colleges generally to conduct 
normal departments. 

(Signed) C. H. RAMMELKAUB. 

ILLINOIS WOMAN'S COLLEGE 
I do not think colleges are equipped to give practice teaching in the 
grades. Standard colleges do not now have academies attached, and I do 
not see where they could find the elementary classes for practice teaching. 

(Signed) JOSEPH R. HARKER, 

President. 

THE WESTERN COLLEGE FOR WOMEN, OHIO 
I think colleges and universities should not conduct a normal depart- 
ment. (1) If persons who want to be elementary teachers get in touch 
with a college, some members of the faculty will always try to persuade 
them to abandon their purpose and desert the elementary schools. We 
need trained teachers in our elementary schools. (2) A strong normal 
department tends to weaken college standards. 

(Signed) W. W. BOYD, 

President. 

KENYON COLLEGE, OHIO 
Normal preparation for grade teachers is not in our judgment a 
proper task for colleges and universities but should be entrusted to state 
maintained normal schools. College standards of admission and instruc- 
tion are not suited to prepare for grade teaching. A proper college 
standard of admission would necessarily exclude most persons who seek 
preparation for grade teaching. 

(Signed) WILLIAM F. PEIRCE, 

President. 

OTTERBEIN UNIVERSITY, OHIO 
We do not believe in the colleges and universities conducting a normal 
department, preparing teachers for the elementary grades. The work 
demands different types of institutions. 

(Signed) W. G. CLIPPINGER, 

President. 

ILLINOIS WESLEYAN UNIVERSITY, BLOOMINGTON, ILLINOIS 
I think your law is a very good one. I believe that the department of 
education of a standard university or college should confine its work to 
that of training teachers for high schools only, and the normal schools 
should confine their work to training teachers for elementary schools. 
I am sure that this defining of the work for each class of school is very 
helpful. I wish that we could so define the work in the State of Illinois. 
Too many of our normal schools here are trying to train teachers for the 
high school and yet they can not do it properly. I believe that the colleges 
of the state and universities will have to take up the work seriously in 
training teachers for high schools. I do not believe that training for ele- 
mentary teachers and for high school teachers can be carried on in -the 
same classes or by the same teachers successfully. 

(Signed) THEODORE KEMP, 

President. 

JAMES MILLIKIN UNIVERSITY, ILLINOIS 
I doubt very much whether colleges and universities should spend 
much time in preparing teachers for the elementary classes especially 

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because of the fact that they are generally not offering courses that 
would give the review and specific elementary methods which fit for the 
grades. 

(Signed) A. R. TAYLOR, 

President. 

HANOVER COLLEGE, INDIANA 
I do not think it within the province of a collge or university to usurp 
the proper function of a normal school. I do not think that they can do 
so successfully, either from the standpoint of teacher training or of college 
administration. On the other hand, I think that the college, through its 
department of education, can train high school teachers more successfully 
than can be done in the normal schools. 

(Signed) W. A. MILLIS, 

President. 

We have received also a large number of letters from State 
Superintendents of Public Instruction endorsing the principle 
of the Oregon certificate law. Of these, we publish two from 
the West, two from the Middle West, two from the South, and 
two from the far East. 

STATE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION, OLYMPIA, WASHINGTON 
Our state believes that the Normal Schools are best qualified to train 
for elementary grades, and that the State Colleges or State Universities 
are best suited to train for high school purposes. In 1915 we made the 
requirement that graduates of colleges must have twelve hours' credit 
in education before they could secure a certificate. 

(Signed) JOSEPHINE CORLISS PRESTON, 

Superintendent. 

DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION, BOISE, IDAHO 
I personally have felt for some time that graduates of universities or 
colleges without special training for elementary school work should be 
permitted to teach in high schools only of our public school system. Grad- 
uates of our normal schools who have not had higher education than that 
afforded by the normal schools should in no wise be permitted to teach in 
our high schools, but only in elementary schools. I am heartily in accord 
with your idea and I do believe that teachers should be trained 
specifically for the type or grade of work which they are doing . 

(Signed) ETHEL E. REDFIELD, 
Superintendent of Public Instruction. 

DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION, AUGUSTA, MAINE 
You are exactly right when you call for specific preparation for 
teaching. The old idea that knowledge alone is essential and that those 
who have the knowledge will find a way has long since proven a fallacy. 
If we discard the idea of special training for teaching we discard the 
foundation of the profession; even normal school graduates with two 
years' work above the high school and the method work make better 
teachers than the graduates of four-year colleges without the professional 
end of their education being developed. I have had considerable experi- 
ence with this, as you may know, not only as city superintendent, but 
as normal school president, a college man, and state superintendent of 
schools of two states. 

(Signed) AUGUSTUS THOMAS, 

Superintendent. 

[15] 



MASSACHUSETTS BOARD OF EDUCATION 
It is my personal opinion that the position taken by Oregon that pro- 
fessional training is distinctly required, particularly for the elementary 
schools, is justified as being absolutely in the interests of the youth of 
the state. Surely, it has long since been demonstrated that teaching 
requires as careful and specialized training as is needed for any other 
profession. 

In the interests of the development of public education throughout the 
nation, I certainly hope that Oregon will not recede from the position 
which it has taken. (Signed) PAYSON SMITH, 

Commissioner of Education 

DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION, TALLAHASSEE, FLORIDA 
In my opinion, your law, as it now stands, granting to graduates of 
standard colleges, certificates to teach in high schools only, and granting 
to graduates of standard normal schools, certificates to teach in the 
elementary grades but not in the high schools, is exactly on the right line. 
Strenuous efforts have been made in this state to require that college 
graduates, particularly those graduating from our own institutions, be 
granted certificates to teach any and all subjects and grades, regardless 
of their educational qualifications. So far, I have been able by hard and 
continuous work to prevent this in a great measure, but the effort to 
accomplish this is still going on. 

The schools not only in this state, but in other states in which I have 
investigated the subject, show a lamentable deficiency in teaching the 
rudiments of education, much of this is due to the certification of the 
teachers, qualified perhaps in the higher branches, but wholly unfit to 
teach in the grades. Too much care can not be exercised in the selection 
and certification of the grade teacher. Unless the grade teacher is thor- 
ough, the beginning of the education of the child is a failure, and the end 
is bound to be a failure. 

(Signed) W. N. SHEATS, 

State Superintendent. 

DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION, MISSISSIPPI 
Our system is far from perfect. It seems that the arrangement you 
have is more nearly perfect than ours. Certainly, we need special prep- 
aration for the teaching of special grades or subjects. Many college 
graduates know little or nothing about the needs of the elementary grades. 

(Signed) W. F. BOND. 

DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION, ST. PAUL, MINNESOTA 
We are practically on the same basis as you are, inasmuch as we make 
quite a sharp distinction between elementary certificates and certificates, 
issued upon college diplomas for high school teaching. College graduates 
could not get a certificate to teach in the elementary grades without pro- 
fessional training for elementary work. Graduates from the advanced 
course of a standard normal school get certificates valid in elementary 
grades, but not valid for high school teaching. It seems to me that it is 
vital and essential to maintain this distinction and to certificate teachers 
for the particular kind of work for which they have been trained. 

(Signed) C. G. SCHULTZ, 
Superintendent of Education. 

DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION, IOWA 
We think your plan of granting certificates to graduates of standard 
normal schools to teach in elementary grades only is right. While we 
are not practicing it in Iowa, we have been of the opinion for some time 
that certificates should show the particular departments in which the 
holders thereof are especially prepared to teach. 

(Signed) A. M. DEYOE 
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Syracuse, N. T. 

PAT. JAN. 21 .1908 




